Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was disinvited by Buckingham Palace to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8, 2022.
“His Majesty King Charles III has asked me to inform you that President Mnangagwa’s request cannot be granted as it would go against the restrictions including those of travel that the United Kingdom has in place with regards to many of the Zimbabwean Governmental Leadership and those connected to them,” a letter signed by Miss Jennie Vine, Deputy to the Senior Correspondence Officer at Buckingham Palace, read.
The letter, which was addressed to Mr Frederick Shava, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, added that “there is also concern at the confirmed reports of non-adherence to respecting human rights occurring in Zimbabwe.”
Even though Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the commonwealth, the letter from King Charles III noted that “that request is yet to be granted and he has been informed that any future commonwealth membership will be subject to the instituting of Zimbabwean governmental reforms particularly in regards to respecting human rights and respecting the rule of law.”
The full letter is attached below: